Pressure discharge can



May 24, 1960 L. A. MICALLEF PRESSURE DISCHARGE CAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Dec. 3l. 1954 FIG.

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INVENTOR. LEWIS A. MICALLEF amm/S /'a ATTORNEYS Ma?! 24, 1960 L. A.MICALLEF 2,937,791

PRESSURE DISCHARGE CAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 3l. 1954 INVENTORLEWIS A. M ICALLEF ATTORNEY United States Patent O PRESSURE DISCHARGECAN Lewis A.Mica1lef, 31s E. 24th st., New York, N.Y. Filed Dec. 31,1954, Ser. No.1479,064

z claims. (ci. zzz-95) This invention relates to containers forcommodities of the so-called pressure package type, wherein the liquidcontents of the container are under pressure by reason of a containedgas or highly volatile liquid which discharges the contents through avalve egress opening.

Such packages have become popular in recent years for commodities ofsuch characteristics that they are not adversely affected by thecontained gas or volatile liquid. There are many commodities which couldbe advantageously dispensed from a container of the pressure packagetype but they are of a nature to be adversely affected by contact with apropelling uid.

The object of my invention is to provide a container of the pressurepackage type for such commodities.

A further object of my invention is to provide a pressure package ofthis type Whose cost of manufacture is no greater than containers notembodying my invention.

A further object of my invention is to provide a container of this typewherein the liquid commodity and the propelling fluid may be separatelycharged into the container through the same valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a measuring attachmentwhereby the quantity of the liquid cornmodity discharged may beaccurately measured.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification and accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a sectionalview on a reduced scale of an entire container embodying my inventionbut not disclosing the details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the valve of the containershown in Fig. 1 with the parts in the position occupied while thecontainer is being charged with the propelling fluid;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in closed position andwith the release button applied to the top of the discharge spout;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of my improved measuring attachment;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified structure;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. l of a further modilication; l Y

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing a further modilication.

Referring -to the drawings, particularly to Fig. l, my improvedcontainer consists of an outer can 1 of conventional form except for thetop cap portion 2. In the customary pressure package the commodity to bedispensed is contained in a can but by my improved construction thecommodity is contained in a exible bag 3 of suitable material such aspolyethylene, pliofilm or the like, the neck ofwhich is permanentlyattached to the depending end of a plug 4 which serves as the valve bodyfor the discharge valve. The neck of the bag is heatsealed or otherwiseattached in a fluid tight manner to ice . 2 the plug 4. The plugl 4 basacentral bore 5 in which is mountedy the discharge valve 6..' The lowerend of the valve stem is flared outwardly to co-operate with thetapering countersunk cavity 7 in the bottom of the plug 4 to provide alluid tight'cutol when the valve vstem is held in its up position by thespring 8 which surrounds the valve stem within a recess 9 formed byenlarging the bore 5.

The upper end of the spring 8 abuts against a washer 10 of rubber orother suitable material which in turn abuts against a shoulder 11 formedon the valve stem. Therpurpose of the washer 10 will be later described.

The plug 4 is mounted in` a collar 12 which in turn is permanentlyfitted in the central upstanding portion 13 of the cap 2 of thecan. Thecollar 12 has an upper portion of an inside diameter slightly greaterthan the diameter of the washer, and beneath this portion is 4formedwith a circumferential recess 14 in which is mounted a split ring 15Vwhich is normally contracted to a diameter slightly less than the insidediameter of the upper portion of the collar 12 as shown in Fig. 3.

The plug has an integral collar at its upper end around which the splitring 15 is fitted when the parts are rst assembled, as shown in Fig. 2.When so assembled the split ring 15 is pushed outwardly into thecircumferential groove 14 and the bottom face of the collar 16 rests ona shoulder formed by the reduced diameter of the bore of the collar 12at its lower end. This portion of the bore of the collar 12 is outwardlytapered as shown, and when the parts are in charge-receiving position asshown in Fig. 2 the bottom edge of the collar 12 is in contact with theouter edge of a flexible washer 17 mounted on the lower portion of theplug 4. Longitudinal slots 18 are provided at spaced intervals aroundthe collar 16 of the plug 4 to permit the passage of the propellingfluid into thev can 1 through openings 19 in the upper end of theportion13 of the can top 2 when the parts are in charging position` as shown`in Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 1 the plastic bag 3 is of a diameter slightly less thanthe inside diameter of the can and is shaped to leave at the top andbottom additional spaces of sufficient capacity to contain a suicientvolume of a propelling gas to cmpletely collapse the ilexible bag whilestill retaining suicient pressure to properly expel the contents of thebag. The space provided for the expelling iiuid of course depends on thepressure which the can will withstand. Cans as presently `fabricated forpressure packages will withstand an internal pressure of over 50 poundsper square inch and for an initial pressure of this order the space leftfor the propelling gas should be approximately 10% of the total interiorspace of the can.

In fabricating my improved container the parts are assembled in themanner shown in Fig. 2 with the split ring surrounding the collar of theplug 4 and seated in Y the recess 14 in the collar 12. The assembly isthen placed in the neck 13 of the end member 2 of the can 1 and themember 2 attached to the can in the usual man- The commodity to bedispensed is thenl chargedv ner. into the bag 3 through the valve stem 6by a conventional filling machine which presses down the valve stem toallow the liquid to pass through the bore of the valve stern into thebag. After the bag is' filled the can is moved onto the next station ofthe filling machine where a supply of air under pressure isdeliveredthrough the openings 19 in the part 13 of the can top. The airunder pressure follows the direction of the arrows in Fig. 2 and passesinto the can surrounding the bag 3, to thereby fill the space within thecan surrounding the bag to the desired pressure. When thechargingpressure is cut off the internal pressure in the can coming on the underside the can is lilled the plastic button 20 with the spray nozzle 21 isfitted over the top of the valve stem 6 as shown.

In Fig. I have shown a feature of my invention which may be employedwith my improved pressure package or with the conventional pressurepackage. As here shown, the valve stem 22 is closed at the outer end andhas downwardly inclined discharge openings 23 through which the liquidpasses into a measuring cup 24 threaded on the valve stem as shown. Ihave not shown the valve structure as any conventional type of valve maybe employed wherein the valve is opened by either depressing or tiltingthe stern.

In operation the measuring cup 24 is unscrewed about half a turn and isthen depressed or tilted, opening the valve to permit the discharge ofthe contents through the downwardly inclined openings 23. When thedesired quantity is discharged into the cup as indicated by the scalemarks on the, inner wall of the cup, the cup is released so that thevalve will close. The cup can then be screwed down to lock the valveagainst accidental opening.

This measuring cup attachment is particularly useful in connection withmy improved can wherein only the commodity to be distributed isdischarged through the outlet valve so that the can may be held with thecup uppermisst and level to accurately measure the quantity drawn o InFig. 6 I have shown a simplified valve structure wherein the cost ofmanufacture is greatly reduced. As here shown the same can top member 2is employed as in the above described construction. The upper surface ofthe part 13 of the can top 2 is provided with openings 29 for theingress of the discharge fluid. A rubber or plastic washer 30 ispermanently pressed against the under side of the openings by means of amolded plastic neck 31 of the shape shown which is held in place bycrimping the vertical wall of the part 13 at its base under a shoulder32 formed on the neck 31. The bore of the neck 31 is enlarged at itsupper end to receive a spring 33 which holds the discharge tube 34against the rubber washer in the manner shown. The discharge tube 34 isprovided with a collar 35 which forms an effective shutoff valve for thecan contents. The upper end of the discharge tube 34 is provided with apush button 20 similar to that shown in Fig. 3 and whenthe stem isdepressed the holes 36 leading into the discharge tube will beuncovered, allowing the contents of-the bag -37 which is fastened to thelower end of the part 21 to be discharged gy the pressure of the fluidin the can surrounding the The can is charged with the dischargeiiuid inthe same manner as above described, the rubber washer serving as anelective cutoff valve which is held` closed by the pressure inside thecan after the charging pressure is removed. In the modied structureshown in Fig. 6 the air inlet valve is not locked in closed positionafter charging the can with the compressed air, but this is notessential to the operation of the container as the likelihood that theingress valve will beaccidentally opened and the compressed air allowedto escape before the contents of the can are used up is remote. Afurther advantage of the construction shown in Fig. 6 is that thecontainer may be refilled repeatedly.

In Fig. 7 I have shown afurther modification of my invention wherein thecommodity to be dispensed is contained in the can 40 and the iuid underpressure is in the bag 41. As here shown the can is of conventionaldesign with a valved discharge opening which may advantageously beprovided with a measuring cup such as shown in Fig. 5.

The bag 41 is supported in the can in inverted position with its neck 42hermetically sealed around a plastic stem 43 which in turn ispermanently mounted in the center of the bottom piece 44 of the can. Theneck 43 is closed at its bottom end and may if desired be formed of aso-called self-sealing plastic.

The can with thecollapsed bag 41 is filled in the usual manner with theappropriate amount of the commodity to be dispensed. Cans of theconventional construction used today may be lled with four-fifths oftheir total cubic capacity without requiring excess initial pressure toeffect the discharge of the uid. After the can is filled, air underpressure is charged into the bag through the neck 43. If the neck isformed of a self-sealing plastic this may be accomplished by deliveringair through a hollow needle which is punched through the closed bottomend of the plug. The plug may of course be formed of other material andsealed in any suitable manner after the bag receives its charge ofcompressed air. When the contacts occupy four-fifths of the capacity ofthe can, compressed air under about 50 pounds per square inch will besufficient to discharge the entire contents of the can.

In Fig. 8 I have shown my invention embodied in a bottle or othercontainer of which it is not a permanent part. As here shown, the metalpart 13, instead of being formed as an integral part of the at member 2of the can has at its lower end a threaded extension of slightly largerdiameter than the part 18 to provide a shoulder 121. Beneath theshoulder is a washer 122 which tits against the end surface of thebottle neck 123, against which it is tightly clamped when the extension120 is screwed onto the bottle or other container. Also if desired aplastic cap may be screwed onto the outside of the threaded extension.

In the accompanying drawings and foregoing specification I have shownand described my invention in its preferred form with certainmodifications, but it will be understood that my invention is notlimited to the structure shown except insofar as recited in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A dispensing container comprising a metal can adapted to contain agas under pressure, said can having an opening in one end, a closure forsaid opening having a portion yof reduced diameter` extending into thecan, a bag of flexible material of a size when extended to substantiallyfill said can, said bag having a neck portion of reduced diametersurrounding the inwardly projecting extension from said closure andattached thereto, said inwardly extending portion having a bore leadingfrom the interior of the bag to the exterior of the can, a valveI insaid bore, said valve including a valve operating member extending fromthe valve Within the bore to a position above the surrounding portionsof said end closure, said closure having a passage through the portionssurrounding the inwardly projecting extension, and means for closingsaid passage after said can is charged with gas under pressure.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said last named means comprises aiiexible member which is held in position to close said passage by thepressure in said container.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS398,528 Molin Feb. 26, 1889 .(Other references on following page) CocksMay 28, 1929 Laufe June 13, 1933 Baumgardner Oct. 24, 1939 Harrison Aug.26, 1952 Tomasek Mar. 24, 1953 McBean Mar. 9, 19'54 6 'Schrneder et al.Sept. 14, 1954 Soier Mar. 22,` 1955 Eord May 10, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTSItaly Nov. 13, 1953

